National ID has No Expiration Date and It is Free, Says PSA
The Philippine Identification System or PhilSys is the government’s central identification platform for all Filipino citizens, including resident aliens of the country.
PhilID, on the other hand, is a card issued upon successful registration to the PhilSys. “It is a valid proof of identity that can be used to transact with the government and private sector,” the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) described.
On a recent report from the Philippine News Agency (PNA), a web-based newswire service of the Philippine government under the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), stated that the national ID has no expiration date once issued to a Filipino citizen holder and it is free.
“The PhilID of Filipinos has no expiration date while the PhilID issued to resident aliens is only valid for one (1) year. The PhilID is free of charge for the initial issuance for Filipinos.”
– PSA
However, according to PNA, the PSA 11 regional office said on February 16, 2021 that there is a need to pay for the transfer of the lost or damaged Philippine ID.
And the same has been stated PSA on its website, “Fee shall only apply for the replacement of the PhilID due to damage or loss. Holders of Certificate of Indigency are exempted from the said fee as long as they present their certificate.”
Currently, the PSA is focusing the registration on the low-income household heads with the aim to enable them to open bank accounts with their national ID. “So that they would be able to receive their government assistance digitally,” explained the PSA.
“The goal is to ensure that at least one (1) member of low-income households, who lack identity documentation, has an ID sufficient for opening a bank account,” the PSA added.
According to the report of PNA, the general public would be served in the latter part of the year until 2022 and the same information was provided by the PSA on their website, saying, “the PSA aims to register the majority of the Filipinos by the end of 2022.”
The Philippine Identification System Act or the Republic Act No. 11055, aiming to establish a single national identification system for all citizens and resident aliens in the country, was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2018.
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Source: Philippine News Agency, PSA| PhilSys, PSA| PhilSys| FAQ
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